1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to educational devices and toys, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved educational device for teaching humanistic values to a child. Toys are known which are actually formed as learning devices. However, these conventional forms of educational toys do not instill humanistic values in young children. The principle on which the present invention is based relates to a psychological conditioning aspect, and in particular to the development in a child, from an early age, of a feeling of humanism. Conventional forms of educational toys are designed to enable a child to repeatedly perform some sort of repair or simulated assistance activity. For example, various types of medical toys are available which enable a child to play "doctor" or "nurse". However, these types of toys actually encourage a child to repeatedly abuse or render the toy or doll into an injured or sick condition. Thus, these conventional educational toys actually encourage a child to inflict repeated harm or torture on the toy. The present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing an educational device or toy which encourages a child to develop humanistic values by encouraging the child to repair and eliminate an initial abused condition or manufactured defect in the toy, without subsequently reinjuring or damaging the toy. The present invention also seeks to provide a permanent visual reminder to the child of the assistance which he or she has rendered to the toy, thus developing a bond of affection between the child and the toy. Being surrounded by hundreds of beautiful and "happy" toys, a child suddenly finds a toy which is in trouble, and immediately rushes to provide help. From this moment, a great process of formation of a real human being, and not just a consumer begins. The relationship between a child and a toy starts in this case from the fact that the child does not take something from the toy, but instead gives a part of his heart to the toy. After the child has rendered his or her help and assistance, one of the greatest joys comes to him or her, namely the joy of accomplishing goodwill. Such a toy becomes especially dear and close to the child's heart. This is a natural human emotion because individuals love people first of all for the good things which they have done for them. As a result, a special type of relationship develops between a child and toys constructed in accordance with the present invention. Children who play with such toys develop the most important qualities of a civilized person, namely that any pleasure or joy must be earned, and not just received free.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of educational devices and toys are known in the prior art. Typical examples of such educational devices and toys are to be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,781,611, 2,959,891, 4,257,188, 4,075,782 and 4,585,424. The user of these toys activates a special mechanism which reproduces the symptoms of various infectious diseases. Then the reproduction of the symptoms is stopped by switching on another mechanism and switching off the first-mentioned mechanism. The object of these toys, which are as a matter of fact, illustrations to textbooks, is mainly to assist parents and medical staff in explaining a medical cure to children by demonstrating to the latter on the toys the process of reversal of the symptoms of a sickness from which a child suffers. Thus, it is important to emphasize that the psychological peculiarity of the relation between the child and the above toys is one-sided and directed to satisfaction of the needs of the child, and not of the toy. Thus, the child in this relationship only receives, but does not give anything in return to toy, a relationship which in fact occurs in all known forms of toys.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices disclose a toy initially provided with a manufactured abused condition or defect in conjunction with apparatus enabling a child to permanently substantially eliminate the abused condition or defect and effective upon repair to leave a permanent visual reminder of the original, abused condition or defect. Additionally, none of the conventional forms of educational toys assist in the formation of humanistic values in children by allowing them to render help or assistance to a toy to repair a nonrecurring abused condition or defect, and leaving, subsequent to repair, a permanent visual reminder to reinforce the positive feelings generated in the child. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of educational devices, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such educational devices, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.